


Two Hours, One Horny Angel

by Piper_Halliwell1979



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, Anal Sex, Angel Dean Winchester, Angel Healing, Angel Sex, Angel Wings, Arguing, Bottoming from the Top, Castiel Gets His Wings Back, Cesarean Section, Coma, Concerned Dean Winchester, Deepthroating, Deepthroating Dean, Epilogue, Family Feels, First Time Bottoming, Grace Pregnancy, Grace Sharing, Grief/Mourning, Happy Ending, Healing, Helpful Rowena MacLeod, Horny Castiel, Hurt Castiel, Hurt Gabriel (Supernatural), Interrupting Sam Winchester, Intracrural sex, Jealous Castiel, John Winchester's A+ Parenting, Kinky Dean Winchester, Lights Flickering, Love Confessions, Lucifer's Fall, M/M, Magic, Mating Bites, Morning Sickness, Mpreg, No Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Oral Sex, Parenthood, Past Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Post-Coital Cuddling, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sam Winchester Walks in on Castiel/Dean Winchester, Season/Series 13, Smut, Spells & Enchantments, Summoning Circles, Switch Castiel, Switch Dean, Willing Dean Winchester, Wing Kink, Wing Oil As Lube, angel married, gracegasm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-05
Updated: 2018-03-22
Packaged: 2019-03-27 06:55:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 20,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13875531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Piper_Halliwell1979/pseuds/Piper_Halliwell1979
Summary: After Castiel gets his wings back, he also gets the urge to mate and breed to repopulate Heaven. He tells Dean to leave but Dean is more than willing to give himself over to Cas.





	1. Bonding

**Author's Note:**

> This started as a one shot but extended into a multi-chapter story.

“Dean, I brought you some coffee. Sam is still interviewing the motel manager.” Cas offered him a hot cup of black liquid. 

 

Dean accepted it an inhaled the steamy aroma before taking a sip. “Yeah, hopefully he coughs up the name of his go-to guy. Places like this, there’s usually an off the books concierge that can supply drugs and companions. Occasionally more morbid requests. With all the weird shit going down lately, I’d say he’s our in for the black market.”

 

“I must admit that buying or stealing ingredients is preferable to…”

 

“Cas, stop. What’s done is done. Am a happy it came to that? Hell no. Is there a damn thing any of us can do about it? We’re done fighting about it.” Dean set his coffee down to escape for the moment to the bathroom. Of course he was still pissed. But he meant it when he said he was done hashing it out. He wasn’t about to push Cas away when all he wanted was to have him stay home.

 

The lights flickered.  _ Shit. _ Dean heard the clock radio outside the door crackle with open air static. The television hummed.  _ Angels. _ Dean rushed to make sure nobody got the jump on Cas. Through the strobing effect of the crazy electronics he could see Cas crumpled on the floor, writhing in agony. 

 

“Cas? What the-?” There was a sheen of sweat on him. His skin was on fire. “Talk to me! What’s happening to you?” Dean was in full panic mode. He tried to lift Cas up to a sitting position. Blue eyes dilated before rolling up in his head. “No, no, no, no, no...stay with me, Cas!” He slapped at his face. “You can’t...you can’t do this to me again.” Dean shook him again before just holding Cas to him and crying.

 

Dean heard thunder. Then the lightning strikes. He was knocked back from Cas into the side of the bed. The room filled with blackness. He thought he would suffocate from the weight on him. His hands came up to push whatever it was away. Feathers. Thousands of black feathers. Wings! He backed himself up on the bed to stand over Cas. He was passed out cold in the middle of a sea of oil slick dark feathers. Dean had seen mere shadows of them before. 

 

Cas started to stir. He groaned and grimaced in pain. It had been years since he bore the full weight of wings. Even then there was nerve damage that left places numb. The sensations coursed through the new nerves like fire. “Dean?” He called out.

 

Dean maneuvered himself off the bed, careful to avoid stepping on the feathers. He knelt in between Cas’ legs. “It’s okay. I’m here. I got you.”

 

“I don’t know...I don’t know how this happened.” Cas tried to flex his wings to test them. It led to more pain. It was easier when they stayed on the interdimensional plane. He’d gotten used to living with remnants of them. When Dean tried to help him to his feet he was unsteady, unbalanced.

 

“I got a good guess. Other than Chuck, wouldn’t Lucifer know how to do this? I mean, he was there when your dad was cooking up you guys. Probably his sales pitch to get back upstairs,” Dean reasoned.

 

“It’s possible. It must have been a general spell. I can’t imagine he’d want me to have mine ba-” Cas reeled again but Dean held him upright. He was burning up again. His grace flared inside him, trying to push him from his vessel. He growled and managed to suppress the surge of power.

 

Dean’s eyes were wide. “Okay, now you’re scaring me, man. You’re all lit up.” Grace glowed bright behind Cas’ eyes. His skin had a bluish tint as well.

 

“You need to leave now, Dean.”

 

“Fuck that! You’re hurting, Cas. I can’t leave you alone like this.”

 

“Dean,” Cas’ voice went impossibly deeper. “Giving us wings isn’t the only thing Lucifer did. He’s activated a biological urge…”

 

Dean took in the sight before him. Cas still had a low growl in his throat. His wings were bristled up and Cas’ chest was heaving. The look in his eyes...Dean realized he was prey. “Whoa. You saying you need to make some angel babies?”

 

“I am fighting this because I don’t want to hurt you, Dean. But I am overwhelmed with the desire to breed. Outside of my vessel I would engage with another angel. As a human...all I can think of is copulating. With  _ you _ .”

 

“If I don’t leave, we’re gonna bone down?”

 

Castiel backed away from Dean, pressing himself against the wall. “I won’t  _ take _ from you. Please, get the Enochian cuffs. Lock me up. Please.”

 

Dean gulped hard but advanced towards Cas anyway. “What if I give it to you?”

 

“You don’t know what you’re offering, Dean. In this state...I could claim you as my mate. You would be bound to me.”

 

“I already am, angel.” Dean took the last step into Cas’ personal space. Hot hands gripped his face and lips smashed against his, hard enough to bruise. Dean could feel Cas’ erection pressing into his stomach. The hands dropped and he heard fabric ripping and air on his bare skin. He was thrown down on the bed and Cas hovered above him with his fully spanned wings blacking out what light was left in the room.

 

Dean trembled. He was scared. This powerful creature looked at him with carnal lust on his face. But there was something...something softer. Love? Guilt? “Cas, I want this. I want  _ you _ . Don’t feel guilty for wanting it back. I...I trust you.” He chickened out again. Even when Cas needed to hear it the most, he couldn’t get the word ‘love’ past his brain to his tongue.

 

Cas seemed to relax. At least as much as he could without Angel Radio blaring for him to breed. “I won’t hurt you.” He reached behind himself to squeeze some wing oil from his glands. He coated his penis generously and lowered his lips to Dean’s as he entered him.

 

Dean felt the coolness of what he assumed was Cas’ grace enter him just as his body felt the intrusion between his legs. There was no pain, only the sensation of being full. He clung to Cas’ back, near the joints of his wings and held tight as Cas rocked into him. 

 

He’d never bottomed before. He’d topped a couple guys, convincing himself it was just kinky and not gay. There had been a handful of three ways were he found out just how hot watching him suck down another cock had gotten the woman. It was just sex. Everybody wanted to have a good time. His feelings for Cas...it wasn’t just a physical attraction and he knew it. Now he was giving himself over to the man he’d dreamed of doing this with. The man he thought could never want him back.

 

“Dean, I’m going to mate you,” Cas warned. His lips and tongue trailed along Dean’s jaw before finding just the right spot where his neck met his shoulder. When he climaxed his grace would enter Dean and flow through him, bonding to his soul instead of another grace. He wanted Dean to experience pure rapture in that moment.

 

“Do it, Cas. I want you to.” Dean’s voice sounded broken, like a sob. He felt the sharp pain of the teeth sinking into him just as he was filled with Cas’ seed. The cool rush came at him from everywhere. It pushed him over the edge he’d been teetering on since Cas started fucking him. He came hard.

 

Cas stilled on top of him, letting his wings droop as well. They remained joined for as long as Castiel’s anatomy would allow. Some of the heat in his body receded, temporarily sated by his coupling with Dean. It was a fruitless venture, he knew that. Dean was not an angel and not a human female capable of conceiving his offspring. But he still felt this sense of being complete, having taken Dean as his mate.

 

“Are you alright?” he asked when some of the cloudiness left his mind. His imperative was to protect and comfort now.

 

Dean was left weak but rolled his head to face Cas. “Yeah. Wow. You?” 

 

“The need is quelled for the time being. I cannot guarantee it won’t arise again.”

 

Dean gave a small huff of a laugh. “Anything rises again, we’ll take care of it. Gotta admit, though...at my age the turnaround is a little longer than it used to be.”

 

“You are willing to do this again?”

 

Dean gave him a quick peck on the lips. “Cas, I’ve been wanting this with you for a long time. But you haven’t shown any interest in sex in years so I figured you didn’t want it. And then I made my peace with it because it wasn’t just me, you know? You looked at me like I was nuts when I told you that waitress was hitting on you.”

 

“I haven’t had sexual urges like this since I was human, yes. But the desire for...affection has been there. I have wanted your companionship in more than a familial sense. But it was you who expressed no desire to be intimate with a  _ man _ . That is how you view me.”

 

Dean shifted them a little so Cas’ full weight wasn’t on him. “I see you as  _ Cas _ . You’re this amazing guy. You make me laugh. You piss me off. You’re the first person I wanna tell the good stuff to. The person I want there when it gets bad. Me and Sam...you’re different. I feel like you’re just... _ mine. _ You and me have always had the thing...the bond.”

 

“I have always felt more for you than your brother. But I do love him. He’s my family.”

 

That made Dean smile. “I know. And it’s great. Somebody who cares about him like I do.”

 

Cas wasn’t used to this kind of intimacy with Dean. They had gotten so much closer through the years but Dean seemed to finally let his guard down. He didn’t sense any awkwardness. “I fell in love with you. I believe even before I was human. I didn’t fully understand the emotions.”

 

Dean’s smile faded. “Purgatory. I realized I was in love with you when I was looking for you in Purgatory. Then my heart got broken when you didn’t come back. I’m so stupid, Cas. I should have told you a hundred times…”

 

Cas shushed him. “I should have as well.”

 

Dean’s hand went up to feel where Cas had bitten him. It was already a ridged scar. “So, this? What does it mean, exactly?”

 

Cas traced his fingertips over it as well. “With my grace, you will heal faster. Age slower. You will sense when I am in distress as I already do for you. It is also a claim. It will mostly affect other supernatural beings, but your pheromones will no longer signal other humans that you are a potential mate.”

 

“Like a supernatural wedding ring?”

 

“Yes, Dean. Oh.  _ Oh. _ ”

 

“What is it?”

 

“It’s happening again. I feel…”

 

“Yep. I’m feeling it, too. Do you just need to come? ‘Cause even if you mojo me, my ass isn’t made for eternal pounding.”

 

Castiel’s skin was flushing again. The feathers of his massive wings fluttered and bristled again in his Alpha posturing. He fought against Dean trying to push him into a submissive position. 

 

“Told you I can’t get it up again that fast. So let me just take care of this round, okay?” 

 

Cas grunted then flopped on his back. His wings draped over both sides of the bed. His penis was hard and throbbing. We wanted the tight heat of Dean around him again.

 

“Hey, uh...can you mojo off the cum and ass? I may be kinky but I don’t do ass to mouth.” Dean smirked with his hand wrapped around Cas’ cock. The angel nodded with understanding and waved a hand over himself. Dean was going to perform the act of fellatio on him. 

 

It wasn’t the same as penetration but the sensation of Dean’s mouth on him was wonderful. Dean’s tongue applied pressure along his shaft and he sucked harder at the swollen tip. Dean’s hand stroked the base to control the depth as Cas started bucking his hips. He placed his hand around the back of Dean’s neck and willed the muscles of his throat to relax. Dean took him all the way in until Cas felt Dean’s nose nest in the soft curls on his pubis.

 

Without a gag reflex, Dean went about his task with more enthusiasm. He’d always gotten off watching cocks get deepthroated in porn. No matter how hard he tried, he never acquired that skill of his own. Still, he’d never gotten a complaint about his head game. Being an angel’s love slave had its perks.

 

Cas moaned and moved beneath him. Dean reached a hand up to curl into Cas’ wings and it made the angel arch his back and cry out. Dean could tell it was from pleasure and not from pain. He kneaded into them more until he felt the telltale twitch of a dick about to come. Cas’ shaft pulsed on his tongue before he emptied his hot load down Dean’s throat. He struggled to swallow it all and had to wipe some away from his mouth when he came back up.

 

“Fuck, Cas. That was hot. Never done it like that before.” Dean rested his head on Cas’ muscular thigh whilst Cas carded his fingers through Dean’s hair.

 

“That was incredible, Dean. You’ve done this before?”

 

“Sucked dick? Yeah. I like sex, Cas.”

 

“You’ve been intimate with other men?” There was a twinge of jealousy and possessiveness in his voice.

 

“Intimate? No. Fucked around? Here and there. Intimate is this right here, babe. Laying in bed cuddling and talking. Getting to see and touch your wings? Having your grace swirling around inside me? That’s more intimate than two beings usually get.”

 

Cas sighed. “Forgive my jealousy. I know you have quite a sexual history.”

 

“But you wanted to be the first guy? I get that. When I was boning guys  _ I _ was the one doing the boning. You got me the other way around. That’s a first. Deepthroating? Also a first. Getting bonded? Pretty sure that’s a one time deal. You, Castiel, have successfully ended the twenty some year long bachelor party of one Dean Winchester.”

 

Dean could see Cas preen a little. “It is satisfying knowing I will be your only lover. If it is of consolation to you, you will be my only lover. Some angels, like archangels, will take multiple mates. They do not feel love as I do. My heart belongs to you, Dean.”

 

“So mushy after sex. It’s kinda cute. But yeah, since we’re being sappy...I’m happy it’s you, Cas. I’m spending the rest of my life with somebody and it’s my best friend.”

 

Cas coaxed him up to lay on his chest. He felt a small pang of regret that they hadn’t opened up to one another sooner. He had such a sense of contentment. Apparently Dean did as well because he nodded off, catching a nap in Cas’ arms. He drew up one of his wings to give Dean warmth as he dozed.

 

The peacefulness lasted almost an hour before Castiel felt the heat start to gather in his groin again. His oil glands also started to leak. He nudged Dean awake. “Dean, I need you.”

 

“Huh?” He raised his head. He felt Cas’ dick poke him. “Well, hello there.” He sought a deep kiss from his lover. This time Dean started to firm up too. “Looks like I’m cleared for takeoff.”

 

They traded a few more kisses and lazy strokes of each other’s manhood. “Dean? Would you...would you like to make love to me this time?”

 

Dean lit up. “Oh fuck yes, Cas. But I want you to ride me. You take it as hard and fast or slow and sweet as you want it. I love seeing you spread your wings out over me.”

 

Cas switched their positions so fast Dean almost thought they flew. His head fell back on the pillow and there was his beautiful angel above him. He barely registered Cas slicking him up between the other kisses and touches. Cas’ wings were starting to respond to him and run along his naked sides and legs. Cas eased onto him and ground down slow.

 

“Oh yeah, Cas. Fuck, that feels good. Hey, never barebacked before. Nothing between us, baby. All you and me.” Dean stared into Cas’ wild eyes. He bit his bottom lip and kept his hips still so Cas controlled the ride. He was in awe of the rise and fall of Castiel.

 

Cas sat back and braced himself on Dean’s legs. He moved faster, enjoying the friction in his channel. His own hardness bounced against him and he needed relief. “Make it come, Dean. Please. Release me.”

 

Dean wrapped one hand around his cock and sunk the other into feathers again. It was like a field of G-spots. Anywhere Dean touched lit Cas up. “I got you, Cas. Come on. Let it go, baby. Just let it go.”

 

Cas slammed down hard, impaling himself on Dean. He watched his seed spurt into small pools on Dean’s stomach then felt Dean’s release inside him. “Sex with a man is more pleasurable than with a woman,” he announced before slinking off to the side.

 

“Are you telling me you’re gay?” Dean asked in mock disbelief. “I can’t believe I married a gay guy!”

 

“Dean…” Cas chastised.

 

Dean just grinned at him. “Come on. You know I’m adorable. Besides, you’re gonna have to get used to it. When people see us together they’re gonna see two gay dudes. Doesn’t matter what we really are. I never gave myself a label.”

 

“Oh. Then why are you so overtly masculine around others? You seem cavalier about perception now.”

 

Dean groaned in frustration. “Okay. Say you got a corporate job. You put on a suit to go to work. I’m a hunter. I gotta put on my tough guy suit to go to work. Women who hunt? Same deal. They put on a hard exterior and kick some ass. We go home, drink some wine from a box, and watch Sandra Bullock movies. I mean, I wish you could’ve met Jesse and Cesar. Badass hunters. Old married couple. The love was there. They were subtle but you still knew.”

 

“You would prefer we not be affectionate at work?”

 

“That’s not what I’m saying. Just keep it audience friendly when we’re on the job and save all the hot and heavy stuff for behind closed doors.”

 

“That’s reasonable.”

 

Dean cuddled with him under a warm wing again. It was nice not having to get out of bed for cleanup. It was nice lying around between romps. He couldn’t see doing it all the time but maybe taking a day to themselves here and there for some quality naked time would work. “Sleepy again.”

 

“Rest, love. I don’t know how long this will last.”

 

Dean hummed a little before dozing again. If it wasn’t for the grace he’d likely be sore and stiff from all the strenuous activity. Instead he was relaxed and content. 

 

It seemed like he’d just closed his eyes when Cas’ next hot flash had him overheating too. “Babe?”

 

“I’m sorry. You need rest. I should take care of this myself.” Cas attempted to leave Dean on the bed. 

 

“Nah. We can try something different. Get your angel lube. You smear a little on you, get a little on my thighs,” Dean rolled to his side. “Get up behind me, Cas.” Dean parted his legs just enough to slide Cas’ cock between them. “There you go.”

 

Cas wrapped his arms around Dean and started thrusting. He kissed along the back of 

Dean’s neck and shoulder. He heard the soft moans and reached around. Dean swatted his hand away. “Dean?”

 

“I don’t think I can come again. It’s okay. I’m helping you through this. Keep going, babe.” Dean reached behind him to grip Cas’ thigh. Cas’ cock eased between the grip of his own thighs and he picked up the pace. Dean only got half hard by the time Cas spent his load on him.

 

“Not as nice as being inside you but still satisfactory. I wish I could have brought you more pleasure.”

 

Dean actually moved away to leave the bed. He was shaky and thirsty. There was only beer in the mini fridge but it would have to do. Be chugged one down and went for a second when the door opened to the motel room.

 

“I tracked down the...Jesus, Dean!” Sam covered his eyes and spun around, slamming the door shut. “You could have locked the door if you wanted some alone time. Clean yourself up.”

 

“Not my jizz, Sammy.” Dean looked down. He never was one for modesty when it came to nudity.

 

Sam cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Is he still here?”

 

“Hello, Sam.”

 

“Cas?” Sam started to turn but stopped himself. “I’m gonna...I’ll be in the car.” 

 

Dean heaved a sigh of relief. That could have gone much worse. “Looks like we gotta get back to work. Unless you’re still…”

 

“Would you believe the sight of your brother seems to have eradicated the urgency of my needs?”

 

“Sammy can be a real boner-killer. What about the wings?”

 

“I believe I have enough control over them to return them to their plane. Shall I clean us up again?”

 

“Yeah. We still smell like a whorehouse. Shit. You ripped my clothes off.”

 

Cas repaired them with the same thought he used to clean them up. Dean smiled at him as he gathered them up to dress himself. Cas was back to himself in less time than it took Dean to blink. “Presentable?”

 

“Still got the freshly fucked sex hair going,” Dean teased. He caught his reflection and noticed he had a bit if a glow to himself. Could be the grace, could be their mini marathon of sex. 

 

Sam was outside in the car, frowning. He avoided eye contact with both of them. “Are we talking about this or avoiding it?”

 

Dean fired up his Baby. “What’s there to talk about?”

 

Sam rolled his eyes. “Are you guys like a thing now or was that just blowing off some steam?”

 

Dean touched the scar under his collar and smiled. “I’m off the market. And Cas got his wings back.”

 

“You got your...wow. That’s great, Cas.” 

 

“We all did. And the need to...procreate,” Cas admitted.

 

“Please tell me everything that happened in that room was consensual.” Sam pinched the bridge of his nose.

 

“Enthusiastically,” Dean replied. He swatted his brother’s chest with the back of his hand. “Get this, I’m angel married now!”

 

“What!” Sam finally looked at him.

 

“Dean is my mate. He shares my grace,” Cas offered in explanation. 

 

“And all this went down in the two hours it took for me to get the name of our blackmarket broker?”

 

Dean shrugged. “It was more like a nudge closer to the inevitable. Time to settle down anyway. And believe me, the sex...is... _ hot! _ ”

 

“Gross, Dean. I don’t need to know or  _ see _ any of it. No offense, Cas. It’s a brother thing. You two can do all your other couple-y stuff or whatever around me. Keep it in your pants.”

 

“I will try to keep my nudity contained to the shower and sleeping quarters.” 

 

“Thanks for that, Cas. It’s more than Dean ever promised.” Sam shot his brother a bitchface. “Okay, can we focus on the black market now? I’d rather talk about the blood of a holy man than Dean’s sex life.”

 

“You asked, Sam,” Dean reminded him. 

 

“Lesson learned.’


	2. Unexpected

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Castiel find out the after effects of their bond

Sam was exhausted. He’d spent the better part of his morning tending to two sick crybabies. Dean hardly ever got sick outside of a bad hangover so he bitched and whined over his dizziness and nausea. Sam assumed all the caregiving duties would be passed along to Cas since they were a couple but minutes after Dean went full  _ Exorcist _ , Cas was struck down.

 

At least they were sharing a room so Sam could force them to stay in bed to commiserate together. He brought them tea, which Dean scoffed at. He brought plain toast, which Cas scrunched his face at. They both accused some outside force of casting a spell on them.

 

“This shouldn’t be happening. We have grace. Illnesses shouldn’t affect us,” Cas said hoarsely after throwing up the dry toast and tea.

 

“Food poisoning? You tried some of my dinner last night,” Dean suggested.

 

“So did Sam and he’s fine.”

 

Dean groaned. His head was spinning and his stomach churned. “Well the grace ain’t helping.”

 

Dean helped Cas back onto the bed. They were both sweaty and disgusting. As soon as whatever they had ran its course he was hauling Cas down the hall for a hot shower. The last thing they needed was to be laid up when they were supposed to be gathering ingredients for the spell.

 

“I’m...tired. Perhaps some sleep would expedite the healing process?” Cas closed his eyes. Dean was too weak to cuddle so he stayed on his side of the bed for some shuteye, too.

 

After three days of it, Sam threatened them with an ER visit. Dean shot him down. He claimed it would pass soon enough and that with his recent acquisition of grace, it was probably more magic related anyway. So Sam put in a call to Rowena. Technically they were even but there really was no one else he could turn to for advice. He picked her up from her hotel and filled her in on the relevant details. She didn’t seem the least bit surprised that Dean had taken up with the angel.

 

Dean looked pale and weak when she entered their quarantined bedroom. “You a witch doctor, too?” he asked with all the sarcasm he could muster.

 

“Samuel tells me you two lovebirds have been a bit under the weather.” She advanced towards the bed. “I can sense no magic.” She laid her wrist across Dean’s clammy forehead. “No fever either, petal.” She looked in his eyes and saw a flash of blue behind green. “Tis true about the grace, then. Suppose you had a right good shag when you bonded?”

 

Dean turned away from her. “It ain’t some angel STD.”

 

Rowena went around to Castiel. “You boys switch things up?”

 

“I fail to see how the details of our intimacy are pertinent to our illness,” Cas grumbled. He flinched when Rowena unexpectedly pinched his nipples.

 

Dean shot up. “Hey! Hands off.” His head dizzied again so he quickly laid back down. Rowena reached across to give his a tweak as well. “What the fuck, Rowena?”

 

She smirked at them. “This sickness...worse in the morning? General fatigue through the day? Spending more time in the ‘loo?”

 

They exchanged looks. “Yeah? That mean something?’ Dean asked.

 

Rowena giggled. “Samuel? I’ll need you to run to the chemist for me,” she called. Sam came in.

 

“Chemist? You sure we don’t have everything here at the bunker?”

 

“You yanks call it a pharmacy. Unless you have a couple rabbits handy?” She hooked her arm in his and led him away from the infirm couple. “Pregnancy tests, ya thick moose. They’ve bonded. They’ve had a go at one another. Tender nipples, morning sickness...ring any bells?”

 

“Cas said it wasn’t possible. Are you yanking my chain here?” Sam crossed his arms.

 

“If I yanked anything you wouldn’t be soon to forget. Your brother has grace. He’s part angel now. If they were consummating whilst in a fertile period, well…”

 

“Fuck. Okay. Fine. I’ll humor you on this one. I still think it’s something supernatural.”

 

***

 

“Really? You want us to pee on sticks because you think we’re pregnant? I happen to be very familiar with mine and  _ his _ plumbing. We don’t have the equipment for baby making. And Angel Radio would be lit up over any more nephilim.” Dean scoffed when Sam handed him the boxes.

 

“Dean, Rowena’s theory is plausible. The grace would house and nourish the offspring much like a womb and placenta. The bond itself could spark creation.” Cas offered. “We should take the tests. Even with grace, our bodies will change to house life.”

 

“Fine. But we’re hitting the books the minute these stupid pee sticks tell you what I already know. Ain’t no bun in this oven,” Dean groused. He slunk off the bed and shuffled down the hall. It had been a couple months since he and Cas had shacked up. Until they got sick they had a pretty active sex life. They were clean. They didn’t use condoms. Did it even work that way? No. Didn’t matter. Only one line was gonna show up.

 

He stood in front of the urinal and started his stream before bringing the test to it. He capped the end and set it on the edge of the sink while he finished up and washed his hands. Cas came in a couple minutes later. “I’m not fond of urinating,” he complained. 

 

“Well all the liquid’s gotta go somewhere. We’ve been downing water and that nasty ass tea Sam’s been bringing us. You want me to leave?”

 

“It’s fine, Dean. If I can use a public restroom I can do this around my mate. Not like I have anything you haven’t seen.”

 

“Still weird to watch. I’ll turn my back. You want the water on?” Dean reached for the faucet. Some guys were a little shy about letting it go around somebody else. He heard the urinal flush and Cas set his test on the opposite side of the sink. “Not that I think we are, but...what would happen? I mean, we can’t see normal docs about it. Would they be angels? Humans? Nephilim? And they gotta come out somehow. We just got together, Cas. I’m not ready for babies. Shit. They could be like Jack. Instant teens.”

 

Cas took Dean’s hands in his. “I have these same questions, love. This is unprecedented. I don’t know any more than you but...I wouldn’t be unhappy. Jack and Claire are not our biological children but we still feel love and the need to protect them as though they were. You’re a wonderful father, Dean.”

 

“What if I can’t do this?”

 

“You are the strongest man I know. If anyone can endure a celestial pregnancy, it is you. You’re the vessel for an archangel. You can house more grace than even my vessel.”

 

Dean leaned forward to rest his head on Cas’ shoulder. Cas held him in silence as they waited out more than the required time for the tests to be complete. Neither wanted to look first. It could be the answer to a question or the floodgate to open for more. Finally Cas pulled away.

 

“Well?” Dean asked.

 

Cas sighed. For a split second Dean was relieved. “According to these plastic devices, we are indeed pregnant.” 

 

“What? Are you sure?” Panic set in. Dean picked both tests up and looked in the windows. Not even a faint second line. Both plus signs were bold and unmistakable. He thought he might get sick again.

 

“Dean? I know this isn’t the outcome you were hoping for. I’m sorry.”

 

“No. Don’t, Cas. Okay? I’m not sorry we bonded. I’m just...confused? Overwhelmed? You gotta be, too. Did you ever think you’d be baking an angel in there?” Dean placed his hand on Cas’ stomach.

 

“I did not. Nor did I expect to impregnate my human mate. This is horrible timing. We still need to get Jack and your mother back. We have to stop Michael and Lucifer. How are we to do that when we can barely be out of bed? How do we fight when we are in a  _ delicate _ condition? This can’t all fall on Sam.”

 

“Agreed. But pregnant women are tough, man. They work and they work out. And we get to eat whatever the hell we want.”

 

“You must abstain from alcohol. And coffee. Soft cheeses, sushi…”

 

“How do you-? Oh. You did that midwife thing for Kelly.”

 

“Doula. I was training to be a doula. So I know how to have a healthy pregnancy and calm delivery. Except we will require other means than natural delivery.”

 

“Yeah. We gotta figure that out. Come on. Let’s go tell Sammy he’s gonna be an uncle.” Dean took Cas’ hand. They found Sam in the kitchen having tea and a chat with Rowena. 

 

“Well?” Sam looked up.

 

“Rowena was right. We’re knocked up.”

 

***

 

The morning sickness passed after a few weeks. They had to farm out most of the hunts that came their way to other hunters. Lucifer was staying off the radar so the key ingredient to their spell was still out of reach. Cas worried that time was no longer on their side. And since they were experiencing non-human pregnancies they were developing faster than expected. At the end of their third months, they were already sporting baby bumps.

 

None of their pants fit. Sam thought it was hilarious when Dean and Cas went into a hormonal rage and threw their belongings everywhere. Then they sat in the middle of the mess and cried. Sam offered them ice cream to calm them then went to Target to get them maternity bands. The helpful salesgirl explained that his ‘wife’ could still wear her jeans with the aid of the wide elastic band. She also showed him some jeans that already had the bands sewn on that would allow for growth. He picked up a couple packs of larger sized tees and some larger flannels. Cas would have to forego his usual suit.

 

Dean grumbled his thanks at the new clothes but still sulked in sweats. He’d been miserable without the caffeine even more so than giving up beer. Sam had them both on prenatal vitamins and was watching their diets. Dean was ready to throw punches just for one bacon cheeseburger. Cas took it in stride. He ate to keep his human body healthy since his grace was otherwise occupied with his fledgeling.

 

“We need to get you guys into a clinic or something. After hours,” Sam brought up over egg white omelets the next morning.

 

“Oh yeah? And you know how to work the ultrasound thingy?” Dean countered.

 

“No. But we know someone who does. Alex is a nurse. We can get her to sneak us in and take a look. Make sure everything’s okay. Don’t you wanna know exactly how far along you are? Maybe tell the sexes? We gotta start getting ready.”

 

Cas pushed his plate away. “We haven’t told Claire. Or anyone. And what if they mature like Jack did? Preparing for infants may be pointless.”

 

“Guys, they’re family. They deserve to know. And they can help us. Three guys raising two babies? Dean’s the only one with any experience with that. I don’t know how to change a diaper or make up a bottle. So we need some ‘Mom-ing’ from Jody. You know, until Mom comes back.” Sam backtracked.

 

Dean rubbed his little bump. “I kinda wanna know what’s going on in there. Sammy’s right. We should go visit them. It might be easier for them to believe it if we show instead of tell. I mean, we’ve all been through some weird shit. This is the weirdest yet.”

 

Cas held his own stomach. He’d recently started feeling flutters. “I hope Claire is receptive to having siblings.”

 

“Eh, she’ll bitch about it at first but she’ll warm up to it.” Dean shrugged. Claire was more like him than anyone else so he had a better idea of how she’d react.

 

“Road trip it is. Gonna be a long one since you two have to pee all the time,” Sam said.

 

“Yeah? How would you like a cosmic being sitting on your bladder twenty-four seven?” Dean shot back. He was ordering one of those pregnancy sympathy suits and making his brother wear it.

 

***

 

“Please tell me this is a social call,” Jody said when she saw the guys at her door. She’d heard the unmistakable rumble of the Impala when it pulled up.

 

“Can’t we drop in on our favorite girls without getting bloody?” Dean joked as he kissed her cheek. Sam followed suit and Cas was pulled into an awkward hug. “Speaking of...where is everybody?”

 

“Alex is at the hospital, Claire took Patience to the shooting range. You know, girl stuff.” Jody shrugged. “Come on in. Beer or wine?”

 

“Water for me and Cas. I’ve been dry for oh...four months now.” Dean managed a smile.

 

“Really? Well good for you. I’ve got some coffee or sweet tea?” Jody went to the kitchen.

 

Dean took off his jacket and unbuttoned his flannel shirt. “Off the caffeine too, Jodes.”

 

“What the hell inspired all this clean living?” She turned around. “What the  _ hell _ is that?” Her eyes widened at his belly.

 

“Funny story. See, Heaven’s short some angels so there’s a baby boom going on. Me and Cas are shacked up and we’re both kinda...well...expecting. I got my own grace and it’s enough to get with the program.”

 

Jody sank down on her kitchen stool. “Wow. People coming back from the dead. An angel in my kitchen. Other worlds. And now Dean Winchester is pregnant. I pretty much have to go out dancing with God at this point to top that.”

 

“My Father is likely to take you up on the offer,” Cas responded. “We wanted to tell Claire in person and perhaps get Alex’s assistance.”

 

Jody just sat there taking it all in. Of all the shit the Winchesters had brought to her doors over the years, this was the most incredible. Sam had filled her in on everything involving Jack after they came through the portal. His mother hadn’t survived the birth. Tears welled up in her eyes. “Dean, will you...can you survive this?”

 

“Sam and Dean are special. They were meant to be the earthly vessels of Lucifer and Michael. When Dean and I bonded, I shared my grace with him. He has enough angelic properties to carry his child to term and to safely deliver with surgical assistance. I would never have allowed this pregnancy to continue if I feared losing him. You must know that, Ms. Mills.” Cas had a hand on her shoulder.

 

She nodded. “Jody. You call me Jody.” She wiped her eyes. “Is that what you need Alex for? She’s only seen two C-sections done. She could learn, I guess.”

 

“We were hoping she could sneak them in for ultrasounds. We know they aren’t having typical human pregnancies. We need to know if it’s like with nephilim or like an angel? We have limited time to work with so basically...how limited?” Sam explained.

 

“Oh. Right. Let me call her. She can probably do it in the ER but we’ll need to distract the on-call doctor. I can question them about a fictional gun shot victim or something. Anything that takes a few minutes of going through patient records and arguing over HIPAA. I’ll concede the loss when I get a signal that you’re all clear.” Jody took her phone out of her pocket. Alex was never going to believe the favor she was asking.

 

***

 

“This is bullshit. Unless you’ve been hiding a huge secret from me, Dean, I’m not buying that Cas knocked you up until I see it for myself on the monitor,” Claire told him. “And you,” directing herself at Cas, “You have weird angel guts so it’s a little more believable. But not telling me you got married for four months? Assholes!” She stormed ahead of them to find Alex’s station.

 

Cas looked a little hurt but Dean nudged him. “Let her be pissed. She’ll get over it. It’s her default setting,” he told him. He put his arm around his husband and followed Claire down the hall. Alex took one look at their stomachs and shook her head. Jody wasn’t pulling her leg on this one.

 

She ushered them behind a curtain. If anyone got too close Claire was supposed to hop up on the gurney like she was the patient. Hopefully it didn’t come to that because the sight of the clear goo on Dean’s stomach was enough to gross her out. Blood and gore were no problem, though. She stood beside Cas as Alex pressed the wand against Dean’s bump.

 

“Holy shit! There’s an actual baby in there!” She exclaimed before covering her mouth.

 

“You expected an alien to bust outta my chest? Talk to me, kid,” Dean said.

 

She hit a few buttons and showed him the screen. “There’s the head. There’s the little fingers and toes...looks like that’s all the digits.”

 

“It’s a girl? I’m having a girl?” Dean squeezed Cas’ hand.

 

“Yep. And it looks like you’re about twelve more weeks before delivery. In human terms. Could be half that.” She pressed another key to print out the picture for them. She handed Dean some wipes for his stomach and told Cas it was his turn.

 

As emotional as he felt over seeing his child inside Dean, Cas wasn’t prepared for seeing the tiny life inside his own body. “Is it...is it healthy?”

 

“Looks perfect to me. You and Dean are on track for about the same due date. And you are having a boy!”

 

“A boy? Cas, we get one of each. Oh man. Wait, are they still gonna be like twins or something?” Dean asked.

 

“Sort of. They’re both your kids and being born around the same time. Well, actually you should both get the C-section the same day since I’ll probably be the one doing it.” Alex printed out a picture for Cas to hold.

 

Claire had been standing back with her arms crossed but she peeked over to see Dean and Cas holding their pictures together. “I’m not changing them,” she announced. “But I’ll help watch them, I guess. Kinda my brother and sister.” 

 

Dean smiled at Cas. His expression said, ‘told ya.’ Cas smiled back. They were weeks away from meeting their children. Dean helped Cas clean himself up and Claire went to find Jody. It was easy to interrupt a conversation when you were kind of the sheriff’s kid. And Sam was dressed in his agent suit. 

 

“You almost done? You said we were grabbing dinner,” Claire gave her line.

 

Sam frowned. “Actually, there’s a John Doe we need to check out if you can give us a few more minutes.”

 

Claire raised an eyebrow. Only Sam and Dean could find a case when they weren’t even looking for one. She pretended to sulk and walk away before discreetly trailing them to find out what the deal was with the mystery man. He looked like shit. He was in a coma, his lips looked like they’d been sewn shut, and Sam turned so pale he was damn near translucent. He uttered one word: Gabriel.


	3. Extended Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel confirms that the John Doe at the hospital is his brother Gabriel

Claire backtracked to Alex and her pseudo-parents. “Does the name Gabriel mean anything to you?”

Cas’ eyes widened. “Where did you hear that?”

“Sam said they were checking on a John Doe. He recognized the guy, I guess. He looked like he saw a ghost. Well, if normal people saw ghosts. What’s the deal?”

Dean had to grip Cas’ arm to keep him from taking off. “We don’t know it’s him. Sammy’ll tell us.”

“But if it’s my brother...we can ask him for grace. He can recover like Lucifer did.”

“Your brother? Lucifer? What the fuck?” Claire insisted.

“Language, Claire. We have a spell to open a portal to get Jack and Mary back. The last thing we need is an archangel’s grace. The only one in existence in this world is Lucifer. Unless the Gabriel here is the other archangel. We thought Lucifer killed him years ago. He’s a Trickster. He could have faked his death.” Cas carefully explained to her.

“Great. I’m Satan’s niece.” She rolled her eyes. 

“Yeah, well Doucheface is my brother-in-law,” Dean countered. He giggled. “Brother-in-law from Hell.” Cas shot him a look. He reigned it in.

Sam came down the hall with Jody and the resident doctor. He still looked as pale as Claire saw him moments ago. “Dr. Levine, this is my brother-in-law, Cas. If your John Doe is who I think it is, it’s Cas’ brother. Can you take him down to make a positive ID?” Sam asked.

Dr. Levine reached for Cas’ hand. “I’m sorry. We had the State Police run his fingerprints and picture through Missing Persons. Nothing came up. When did you file a report?”

Dean answered for him. “We didn’t. His brother’s been presumed dead for eight years, Doc. We’re not getting our hopes up.”

“And you are?” The doctor offered his hand to Dean. 

“Cas’ husband, Dean. Can we just get this over with?”

“Follow me.”

Dean held Cas’ hand. He could sense all of the emotions he was feeling through their bond, including the shock of seeing the man laid out on the hospital bed. If it wasn’t Gabe then it was one banged up meatsuit he left behind.

“May we have a minute?” Castiel’s voice trembled. He went closer to take Gabriel’s hand. The doctor said he’d give them five minutes. 

“It him?” Dean asked.

Cas nodded. “He still has grace. It’s so faint. I recognize it. He’s been badly hurt. He isn’t healing like he should. I can’t help him.”

Dean looked at the scabs and scars around his mouth and cringed. “They sewed his mouth shut, whoever had him. Probably those British assholes. They’re sick enough to do this. It's why I wanted you far away from them.”

Castiel bowed his head and cried. Since his pregnancy he’d wept openly over everything from the mundane to this. Gabriel could be a dick sometimes but he could also be kind. He stood with Castiel for humanity. He supposedly gave his life for Sam and Dean. 

Dean touched his shoulder. “Maybe this is the best place for him. Sam and Alex and Jody can watch over him. We’ll stick around awhile. Maybe he’ll come out of it and we can take him home with us.” His voice was soft and tender. Cas reached up to place his free hand over Dean’s. “Hey, we’ll have Sam get in touch with Rowena. Maybe she can speed up the healing process a little.”

“Perhaps,” Cas agreed. Dr. Levine came back.

“Afraid you’ll have to come back tomorrow. Do you believe this man is your brother?”

“He is, doctor. This is Gabriel. Novak. Gabriel Novak,” Cas used his vessel’s surname.

“I’ll have it updated in his charts. As his next of kin, I should tell you he is in a coma. He was found unconscious. There are signs of systematic abuse from the scarring on his wrists and ankles. He has what appear to be occult symbols on his back and torso. His lips were crudely stitched together but we removed him. The tube in his nose in feeding him. He’s breathing on his own. X-rays show remodeling of old fractures.”

“So he was kidnapped by a cult?” Dean asked.

“It’s just speculation. The agent, your brother I presume, said he’d seen symbols like that and asked for copies of his intake pictures. He said he wanted a consultant to look at them.”

“Yeah. He’s good at what he does. What are the chances of Gabe coming out of this?” Dean wished for an answer his husband would accept.

“A coma is sometimes a body’s way of shutting down non-essential functions so it can heal. I’m afraid all we can do is monitor him, keep him comfortable, and wait.”

“But I can come see him again? Talk to him?” Cas looked up.

“Of course. Your presence may help him come back.”

“Then we’ll see you in the morning, Doc. I know the consultant. Can we bring her with us to look him over?” 

“As his family that is your decision.” Dr. Levine answered Dean.

They left for Jody’s with a sliver of hope.

***

Even a woman as world weary and jaded as Rowena felt a pang of sorrow for the archangel. A once mighty beast was reduced to this small and fragile person. She had salves and oils to aid in his healing and Castiel stood by to watch her tender touches on his brother. “If I can heal Amara I can heal your brother, angel.”

“But what of the symbols? Are they some sort of warding?” Castiel asked.

“Oh aye. They’ve been used to transfer his power to another, someone who would feign being an archangel,” Rowena replied. “They run deep. If I can break them, he’ll start to regain his strength.”

Castiel looked to Dean for some kind of assurance. Dean squeezed his shoulder. “Please do what you can for him. He may be our answer to everything. He would have the power to end Lucifer.”

Rowena offered a thin smile to them before Sam came back posing as an agent. “I’ll need access to the book again, Samuel. This magic is ancient and dark. I have the power. I need the proper spell.”

“I figured as much. I have a friend keeping it. We’ll meet back at the motel and I’ll help you find it.” Sam patted Cas’ other shoulder. It had to be hard on him. “Thank you, Rowena. You might just be saving the world.”

“Happens to save my own arse is the process. Oh! Tell Auntie about the wee ones. Must be coming soon.” Rowena clapped her hands and addressed Dean and Cas.

Dean parted his overcoat to show his very pregnant belly. “I’m having a girl. Cas is having our boy.”

“Nephilim?” She inquired.

“The rapid gestation period we are experiencing would suggest they are angels,” Cas explained. Silently he prayed for them to be human. He wanted to fully experience parenthood from first cries to first steps.

“I’ll be back this evening for another round of healing with Gabriel and possibly what we need to release his powers.” Rowena clacked away in her heeled boots.

“Let’s go for a walk, babe,” Dean suggested, although it was more like a waddle. Cas took his hand to make their way to a nice quiet area outside with benches and a fountain. They both eased down. “You know we gotta name these things, right?”

“If by ‘things’ you are referring to our children, then yes.”

Dean smirked. Cas had gotten extra snippy lately but instead of barking back, Dean thought it was adorable. “You uh...got any in mind?”

“I do, actually. I was thinking of naming our son Harrison after the actor you seem to idolize. He portrays strong characters.”

“I like it. Wouldn’t have thought of it, myself. Thought you might swing towards the biblical side with names.”

Cas chuckled. “Perhaps I still cling to the hope our children are human. It would be nice to watch them grow and guide them slowly.”

“I get that, Cas. Except for Sammy, kids come into my life after all the good stuff. I wanna teach ‘em to ride bikes and play catch. Smush their little hands into birthday cakes.”

“For our daughter? Have you picked a name?”

Dean ran his hands over his belly. “Kinda back and forth. I wanna honor somebody. My real dad, Bobby. So maybe Bobbie or Stevie. His middle name was Stephen. And Stevie is kinda badass like Stevie Ray Vaughn or Stevie Nicks.”

“Musicians, your other passion. Stevie is nice,” Cas easily agreed. 

“We can skip out on middle names if you want. I don’t have one. You don’t have one.”

Cas looked confused. “You do have a second name. It’s Henry, after your paternal grandfather. Mary said John was opposed to it but she argued that both of their ancestors should be your namesakes.”

“What? She never told me that. She told you that?”

Cas nodded. “Mary was up most nights when she came back. I sat with her and we talked at length. Since we’re family we should know one another better.”

Dean shook his head. “Wow. I have a middle name.”

Cas laughed at him. “We are pregnant males, my dead brother is mysteriously resurrected, and you are more amazed that you have a middle name. I love you, Dean Winchester.”

“I love you too, Cas Winchester.” Dean joined their hands. “A lot’s gonna happen in the next few weeks, babe.”

“Indeed. But we will face it all together.”


	4. It's Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The babies are coming

“You look like turtles,” Sam teased when he saw Dean and Cas struggling to get out of their bed.

“Snapping turtles. Help us up or I’ll bite you,” Dean threatened. He hated needing help but the motel mattress was nothing like the memory foam he was spoiled for at the bunker. 

“Well, you won’t want to bite me when I tell you that Rowena had a breakthrough with Gabriel this morning.”

Cas was instantly awake. “What happened? Why didn’t they call me?” He narrowly out-waddled Dean to the bathroom. He didn't bother closing the door so Sam could keep talking.

“Because Rowena called me first. We gotta get you guys to the hospital. He’s still out of it but mumbling in Enochian.” Sam got them some clothes out and laid them on the bed. He’d have to help them with shoes and socks when they were done. He counted it as practice for being Uncle Sammy when the babies came. Someday he’d be tying their little shoes.

It took almost an hour for them to get presentable and in the car. Dean’s belly was too big to safely get behind the wheel so he bitched about Sam’s driving constantly. Sam took it all in stride. He reminded Dean it could be worse...they’d have to get a minivan. Sam still had a tender spot on his arm where Dean slugged him. 

Rowena was holding Gabriel’s hand and speaking softly to him in Gaelic. “Guess what, petal? Your brother is here to see you.”

Gabriel’s eyes flew open and monitors started beeping. Cas started to panic. “Gabriel, it’s just me. It’s...Cassie.” He rolled his eyes. He always hated that nickname. A nurse came in as the numbers started going back down to the normal range.

“Cassie? I thought she meant Luci...Luci.” Gabriel’s voice was hoarse from disuse. He rolled his head towards Cas. “Holy shit! You got-"

“Married,” Castiel cut him off. “Dean and I got married.”

Gabriel took the cue to keep a lid on their bellies in mixed company. “Sorry I missed it.”

Castiel went to him. “You’re here, now. I’m so sorry we never looked for you. We thought you were...dead. Our Father thought you were dead.”

“You talked to Dad?”

“We needed him to settle some things with Auntie Amara. By the way...creepy as hell. Kept hitting on me,” Dean added with a shudder.

“Amara? What the hell have you guys been doing?” Gabriel coughed and Rowena gave him a cup of water. “Hot nurse.”

“I’m a witch, dear. But I’ve done you more good than these kooks with their modern medicine. I can even release you from that ugly spell.” The real nurse had gone to fetch a neurologist so it was safe to be candid.

“Tell you what, you tell me how you both got buns in your ovens and Uncle Gabby will tell you a story?” Gabe offered.

Sam came to help guide Dean and Cas into chairs. “Lucifer gave everyone their wings back and decided to dose them with the need to breed. Roly and Poly grace bonded and both wound up pregnant,” Sam explained in short detail. Dean glared at him.

“What he means is, I got my own grace brewing a kid. We’re both due any minute and we ain’t got a clue what’s popping out,” Dean put it in his own brash terms.

“You really have no idea what you two are baking?” Gabriel looked amused. “Kiddos, I don’t know if Dad had a hand in it or not, but you’re bringing the new archangels.”

Dean forgot how to breathe. His kids were...holy Chuckballs. Not babies who were gonna scrape their knees and spit mushed carrots at him. Archangels.

Castiel actually teared up. “I wanted to raise my own offspring.”

“You will, Cassie. You think I’m adorable now, you shoulda seen me as a little scamp. Dad wanted kids. Guess now he wanted some powerful grandkids.” Gabe assured him. “Listen, I get my mojo back up and running, I’ll stick around. Show ‘em some archangel stuff.”

Sam’s face lit up. “Guys! The spell. We can do it when the babies are born. A tiny bit of grace from both of them.”

Castiel’s face went dark. “You will not harm my children, Sam,” he threatened. Dean looked equally pissed.

“Gabriel, there’s a Michael in another universe. He has the spell to cross over here. Our mom and your nephew are trapped there with him. We’re trying to get them back and stop Michael. I’m asking you if it’s safe to take a little grace to do that,” Sam addressed him directly.

“Cord blood,” Rowena spoke up. “The lifeline between the parent and the child. Grace instead of blood feeds the wee ones. It is untainted, pure. Many sorcerers and witches have used it as blood of an innocent for blood magic. It required no sacrifice. No sacrifice meant passing as midwives until the massive hunting of witches.”

Sam hugged her before he realized what he was doing. “Gabriel?”

“Red’s right. You’d have a small window for the spell after they’re born but it’s possible,” he agreed.

Dean and Cas had one of their non-verbal conversations. After a couple moments Dean sighed and nodded his consent. “As long as our kids are okay, we’ll do it. But we gotta have a full roster. I mean Jody, Donna, the girls...everybody but me and Cas. You storm the castle, drag back Mom and Jack, and we burn that bridge before Michael gets to it.”

“Agreed. We come up with a solid plan, Alex tells us if the babies are close enough to term for the C-sections, and we get this done. Now we gotta get Gabriel cleared to leave the hospital.” Sam looked around for any dissent. There didn’t appear to be. 

They cleared the room for Gabriel to be evaluated and taken for testing. Sam left to forge documents stating that Gabriel Novak would be taken into protective custody during the investigation of his kidnapping. Dean called Jody to see if they could hole up in her cabin until Alex could check them out. It had only been a little over two weeks since they’d seen the ultrasounds. 

Since they’d been spending their days at the hospital with Gabriel, they’d been ferreting out the supplies Alex said they would need for the ‘home births’. Castiel assured Dean that once the tie was severed, their grace would heal them. Well, more so his than Dean’s. Alex was great with sutures and so was Sam. 

“Claire? Hey um...I need your help with something.” Dean called her when Cas stepped away with Rowena. “It’s gonna sound cheesy but could you come get one of my scam cards? I want some stuff for the babies at the cabin. I’ll give you a list.”

"Can’t you and Cas do it?”

“Family meeting later. Looks like we got a way to crack the gate right after the babies come. Means me and Cas gotta stay behind because a bunch of badass women will be protecting Sam on the other side.”

“You and Cas aren’t going to try to keep me here?”

“Are you kidding? You’d hand us our balls. We know how strong you are. And we know you’d hand Michael his balls before you’d let him hurt your family, your brother and sister.”

“Yeah, but...who keeps you safe? You don’t jump up and slash fuglies after somebody cuts a person out of you.”

“We’re busting your Uncle Gabe out. And Rowena can cast some protection spells. The other side...it’s war, Claire. And you’re a warrior.”

“Kinda nice to hear you say that, Dean.”

“I mean it. See you soon?”

“Yeah.”

***

Gabriel was ready to leave with just his hospital gown and ass flapping in the breeze but Sam brought him a set of clothes. And a candy bar. “Sammy...you remembered!”

“Keep it down. I’m supposed to be wheeling you out to an unmarked van for protection.”

“You like me.”

“In a ‘we’re family so I have to’ sort of way. Our brothers are married.”

Gabriel reached a hand up to touch Sam’s arm. “I’ll tell you what happened. I will. Just let it be rainbows and lollipops a little bit longer. Been putting on a brave face for the little papas to be.”

Sam frowned. “Yeah. Okay. Kinda know what you mean. Haven’t wanted to stress them out anymore than they have been. They’re finally happy. They can be irritating as hell but I see those quiet moments, too. Like when they just lie around smiling at each other and their stomachs.”

“I missed out on a lot, huh?” Gabe let Sam help him to his feet and into the van. Sam closed the side panel and walked the wheelchair back into the hospital.

“You missed eight years of eye fucking and sexual tension,” Sam replied when he got in to drive.

“I knew Cassie was sweet on Dean. I wasn’t allowed much information.”

“What happened with Lucifer?”

“I gave him a show. Then I went off the grid for awhile. Nothing flashy. Barely used my grace to stay off the radar. I was all set to swoop in with the great plot twist at the final showdown. Then I got whammied with some heavy magic and got all these neato little symbols carved into me with my own blade. It got down to just enough grace left so they wouldn’t have to feed me. I tried spells. I tried leaving my vessel. One of the guards got wind and I got my mouth sewn shut over it.”

“Who took you?”

“One of Luci’s devout minions, Asmodeus. I got moved when he took over Hell. He wanted me close by. Then it was lights out and I woke up back in Kansas. Well...you know what I mean.”

Sam’s stomach tightened. Gabriel was let out on purpose. He could be a spy for Asmodeus and not even know it. “You don’t remember anything? Familiar voices? New voices?”

Gabriel pursed his lips. “An Englishman? Not a demon. Asmodeus showed me off.”

Ketch. What the hell kind of game was he playing? He’d said he wanted to stop Lucifer. Did he know only an archangel could kill another archangel? He must have counted on the Winchesters to find him and get his strength back. He dropped him off where Jody or Claire would see him and get the brothers involved. Ketch had dossiers on them. 

“I know who busted you out. He’s shady as fuck. Plays whomever he can. He planted you right in front of us because he knows you can take down Lucifer. If Dean wasn’t the size of a Macy’s Parade float he’d be ripping the guy’s throat out. Ketch. Arthur Ketch.”

“Doesn’t Dean-o feel that way about everybody?” Gabriel quipped.

“He messed up our Mom. Killed people we cared about. Tried to kill us. Believe me, we both want him dead.” Sam paused for a minute. “Cas and Lucifer were being held in an old asylum. Maybe he had you there, too.”

Gabriel shook his head. “I didn’t sense them. I was heavily warded. How did they get out?”

Sam laughed. “You’d be proud. Cas pushed all Lucifer’s buttons to get him riled up until he broke the wards. Then he stabbed him when they got out.”

Gabriel pretended to wipe a tear from his eye. “My baby bro all grown up.”

“It’s also how he got out of the Empty.”

“What? Cassie was dead?”

“Lucifer. He was gone for almost three weeks. He annoyed the cosmic entity in charge until he was spit out.”

“I’ll be damned.”

“Yeah.”

***

“Are you expecting together?” The woman at Babies R Us asked Claire and Patience. Claire made a face.

“Ew, no. This stuff is for my...dads. Twins,” she answered quickly.

“Well congratulations on your new siblings. Can I help you with your list?”

“Yeah. Thanks. I didn’t realize babies needed so much stuff.” Claire handed the piece of paper over. “It’s a boy and a girl so De...Dad said only neutral colors for matching things like carseats and bassinets.”

Patience looked over what was already in the cart. It was mostly pinks and blues. Nothing too cutesy. They still had to get the big items and some formula. “We’ve got most of it covered.” She pushed the cart behind Claire to look at baby furniture then almost choked when she saw the total at the register. Claire just pulled out a credit card to cover everything. They drove to Jody’s cabin to get everything ready.

“You called them your dads,” Patience said as they unloaded Claire’s car.

“They act like it.” Claire shrugged it off.

“You know, it was just me and my dad. And you have this huge family. You say you're an orphan but you have a mom who loves you. Donna’s your kooky aunt. Alex is your sister and you’re getting two more siblings. You have two dads and two uncles. That Jack kid is supposed to be your brother or cousin or something. I’m just saying it’s nice to have all these people in your life.”

“Yeah. Well, looks like you’re one of us now. You’re surprisingly cool with all this. And you’re getting better at shooting. Wait till we get into the knife and sword stuff,” Claire changed the subject. If Cas knew she’d called him her dad he’d never wipe that gummy grin off his face.

***

By the time Donna showed up everyone else was at the cabin. Jody went through all the baby stuff with Dean and Cas, sorting it all for Stevie and Harrison. She had Claire and Patience sterilize all the bottles and stock the cabinets with the cans of formula. Rowena and Sam were with Gabriel in the bedroom where she continued her healing. 

“Whoa. Somebody’s gotta fill me in,” Donna said when she saw the tee shirts stretched to capacity over Dean and Cas’ bellies.

“How do feel about angel babies?” Dean asked. He struggled to get up but Donna went to him and leaned down for hug. 

“Do I even wanna know how you boys got yourselves in this pickle?”

“We got angel married. Just sorta happened in the process.”

“Well your process looks ready to pop,” Donna teased. 

“Alex is gonna carve them up. Like the Thanksgiving from hell,” Claire piped up from the small kitchen. 

Gabriel emerged from the bedroom looking much better. He let out a whistle. “And who is this beautiful bottle of sunshine?” He stared at Donna, who promptly blushed at the compliment.

“I’m Donna Hanscom.”

“Archangel Gabriel, much handsomer brother of Castiel,” he introduced himself. 

Donna swatted Dean’s shoulder. “Where ya been hidin’ this cutie?”

Sam cleared his throat. “Long story, Donna. But he’s here now and he’s on babysitting duty while we go on a little rescue mission. You and Jody and the girls are going to be my royal guards according to Dean.”

“Somebody’s gotta be there to save your ass. And we know there’s not another Sam on that side to confuse Mom and Jack. You find ‘em and haul ‘em back home. Kids are gonna want their grandma.”

“And their brother, Jack,” Cas added. He flinched.

“You okay, babe?” Dean was instantly concerned.

“Just some mild pain. I’ll be fine.” Cas waved it off.

Alex came running and lifted his shirt. His abdomen was hard. “Shit. He’s having a contraction. Looks like the babies are coming tonight.”

Suddenly Castiel was the only calm person in the room. Sam gathered the ingredients for the spell and set up near where Alex was going to do the deliveries. Jody got towels, Patience filled the sink with warm water, and Donna tried to help Cas up. Dean started breathing hard and had to rely on Gabriel to get him off the sofa. Cas was hoisted onto the covered table and lights were set up around him. 

Alex carefully marked where the incision would be and had Claire set up her instrument tray while Sam swabbed Cas with Betadyne. Alex gloved up and picked up a scalpel but Gabriel pushed her aside. “No offense, kid. I’ve actually done this before. I’ll cut, you get the spreaders in, then I’ll get the baby. Clamp the cord after you suction the airways. Dean can cut then Sammy needs to be ready with a bowl for the afterbirth. We do this right and Cassie will start healing in time to get Dean-o up here. Got it?”

Alex handed over the scalpel and Gabe made the first cut. He got through muscle and tissue to the womb. Alex widened the field and Gabe cut again. A gush of fluid came first then he pulled out his nephew. The next few seconds were a flurry of activity ending with shrill cries as Harrison was placed into Patience’s arms to be cleaned and swaddled. The spreaders were removed and Cas felt the rush of his grace stitch his flesh back together. He was sore and light-headed when his son was placed in his arms. 

Sam wrapped a blanket around them and lifted Cas off the table. He wanted to be next to Dean when their daughter was born but there were too many people surrounding his husband. At least Gabriel had enough juice to block the pain from Dean. Castiel gently rocked Harrison and watched as everyone took their places with new instruments. Sam held Dean’s hand as little Stevie came into the world.

“Shit!” Gabe cursed. “Give me some pads. He’s not healing. Red! Give me a hand here!” He called out to Rowena. She managed to help slow the bleeding.

“Why isn’t Dean’s grace healing him?” Castiel panicked.

“Wait! Patience, bring Stevie over here.” Gabriel reached for the baby. He placed her tiny hand on Dean. “Come on, sweetheart. Daddy hurts. Daddy needs you.”

Blue light came from her and Dean’s wounds glowed. They finally started to close. “Good girl, Stevie. Daddy just needed a little jumpstart. Yes he did,” Gabriel cooed at her. “You can start the spell, Sammy. We’re all good now.” He handed Dean his daughter.

“Gear up, guys. We gotta get in and out fast,” Sam said as he squeezed the blood and grace from the cords. The rip in dimensions appeared near the back door of Jody’s cabin. “We’ll be back soon, Dean. Promise.” He crossed over first, followed by the other hunters.

It was up to Gabriel and Rowena to help Dean down and next to Cas. Both men smiled through tears as they looked over their fussing newborns. “I love you so much, Cas. We did this. We made babies!” Dean leaned his head against him.

“We did, Dean. Our love brought two new lives into the world. My heart...it’s overwhelming. We’re a family.”

“Yeah, babe. We’re a family.”


	5. Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and the Wayward Sisters seek out Mary and Jack in Apocalypse World

“What the fuck?” Claire was the first to say something on the other side. It looked like an old quarry with giant angel blades sticking out of the ground. There was gunfire in the distance and what looked like shooting stars.

 

“This is what happened when Dean and I weren’t around to stop the apocalypse,” Sam sighed. “Come on. We have to go to where the gunfire is coming from. If Mom and Jack aren’t fighting with the resistance then they’ll know where Michael would keep them.”

 

Patience grabbed Claire’s arm. Her eyes clouded and she rocked on her feet. Jody stood at their backs to guard then while Patience had her vision.

 

“What happened, honey? What did you see?” Donna asked softly.

 

“Those aren’t shooting stars. They’re angels. This guy with glowing yellow eyes is roasting them out of the sky. There’s an older man with a beard. There’s a blonde lady and some children. Someone is coming for the one with yellow eyes. His eyes glow, too.”

 

“Shit. It must be Michael. He’s after Jack. We gotta go now,” Sam said before taking off. Claire and Donna stayed back to guard the portal. The others grouped with him and made their with him towards a treeline. It would be the best cover for the resistance on the ground. He scanned the few humans he saw for any sign of his mother or Jack.

 

“Sonofabitch,” a voice grumbled close to them.

 

“Bobby?” Jody turned and dropped her gun to hug him. He took a step back.

 

“Do I know you? The big one I met before.” He eyed Sam.

 

“Jody, he’s not  _ our _ Bobby. This is going to be a strange question-"

 

“They’re here,” the older man cut him off. “Mary brought a damn nephilim into our camp. Turns out he’s pretty good at taking down angels. Wants to put down Michael himself, the idjit.”

 

“Patience, did you see what happens?” Alex asked.

 

“Just the face-off. I’m sorry I didn’t see more,” Patience put her head down.

 

“You brought a psychic? All hunters?” Bobby asked.

 

“The best. We have two guarding the portal we made. We need to get Mom and Jack back. Clock’s ticking.” Sam pleaded. Bobby responded with a curt nod. He led the hunting party deeper into the woods and banged his rifle butt on a hidden metal door under some brush.

 

There was a series of bangs from inside. Bobby tapped again and the hatch opened. “Sam?”

 

Mary flung the door back and rushed into her son’s arms. “Mom,” his voice broke as he gripped her tight.

 

“Dean? Is he with you?”

 

“He’s on the other side waiting for us. He wasn’t in any condition to fight.” Sam was reluctant to go into further detail. The worried look on his mother’s face prompted him to follow through anyway. “Cas came back. From the dead. He and Dean got grace bonded, like angel married.” He drew in a breath. “Then they both got pregnant,” he rushed out with the exhale. “They’re fine. The babies are fine. They need a little recovery time. And he... _ we _ need our family back together.”

 

Mary’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. “Jack is close to taking down Michael. I have grandchildren…”

 

Jody approached them. “Patience is a psychic. She saw them. We need to go. If Michael gets any of Jack’s grace, he can open a hole big enough for his army to come through. Unless he sacrifices his own grace he can’t come through. Then we’d be ready for him.”

 

“I didn’t realize...Bobby, we need to call him back,” Mary said. “Somebody stay with the kids. I know where he his.”

 

“I’ll stay,” Jody volunteered. Sam wanted to protest but backed off when she gave him a stern look. He followed Mary and Bobby to a small clearing where there were scorched wing marks all over the ground. Jack’s eyes were still glowing bright as his chest heaved.

 

“Jack? Jack, honey, it’s me. It’s Mary.” She talked him down. His eyes returned to their usual blue.

 

“Sam? Is this real?” Jack looked at him with the same squint and head tilt of Cas.

 

Sam lumbered over to him and picked him up in a bear hug. “Oh god, Jack. You’re okay.” 

 

“I’m fine. I’ve been trying to draw out Michael. If I destroy him he can’t come to our earth.”

 

“Jack, listen. You have to come home now. If Michael gets your grace he can bring over an entire army. It took like two drops of pure archangel grace to get all of us through. You’re more powerful than even that.” Sam explained.

 

Jack shook his head. “No. The people here...I’ve been protecting them. There’s children.”

 

“There’s children waiting for you back home, too. Dean and Cas are married and they just had babies, your little brother and sister. Please. They want their son back,” Sam pleaded.

 

“Dean called me his son?”

 

Sam smiled and nodded. “And your uncle Gabriel is with them. He’s going to help stop Lucifer. Your big sister Claire is guarding the portal. It’s time for the Winchester family to be reunited.” Sam looked over at Bobby. “You could come with us. I know you’re not him, but he was like a father to me and Dean.”

 

Bobby shook his head. “I got too much work needs to be done, here. Somebody’s gotta keep this shithole from going completely to hell.” He put a hand on Jack’s shoulder. “You done good, kid. But your daddies back home need you more than I do. If Michael opens a door, you’ll be there to stop him, make sure it’s a one way ticket.”

 

“Thank you, sir. My adoptive father, Castiel, he said you were his role model. That you adopted Sam and Dean and raised heroes. He wanted to be half the man you were. Well, the other Bobby Singer.” Jack smiled at the older man trying to hold back a tear or two.

 

Mary waited to hug Bobby goodbye when he relieved Jody of her post with the children. Sam made a couple quick introductions before leaving behind the man who reminded him of the second father he lost. Claire and Donna were still by the portal with an unconscious man at their feet.

 

“Mr. Frisky there thought he could get his filthy paws on us. Dropped him like a hot rock,” Donna boasted.

 

“Guess you’re Jack, huh?” Claire looked him over.

 

“And I guess you’re my big sister Claire.”

 

“I’m not a hugger,” she warned him. She took his hand, though, and walked them through the portal. They were the first to see Dean and Cas kissing over the newborns they were feeding.

 

Cas shifted Harrison into Dean’s other arm so he could stand and greet his older children. “You’re both safe.” He almost cried with relief. He barely registered the rest of them filling the cabin.

 

“Mom?” Dean looked up at her. She was openly crying and alternately touching his and his children’s faces.

 

“They’re beautiful, Dean. You carried one?”

 

“Stevie. Our daughter. Cas carried Harrison. I still can’t believe we have them. And they helped bring you home.” Dean let her take Stevie.

 

“You had blond hair. Guess hers will get a little darker, too. She has Cas’ eyes. Harrison has yours.” She fussed over her granddaughter. She handed her over to Jack so she could hold her grandson.

 

Jack was a little stiff holding a baby but he was all smiles. “They’re so...innocent. I’m your big brother. Hi.”

 

Sam put his arm around Jack. “This is why you’re here, Jack. I don’t know where or who I’d be without my big brother.”

 

Mary tried to hand Harrison off to Claire but she frowned and took a step back. Mary didn’t take no for an answer. Claire got a sleepy bundle dumped in her arms. Harrison yawned and reached his tiny hand up from his blanket. He wrapped it around Claire’s finger. Some of her frosty exterior seemed to melt.

 

The babies were gently passed and held until they fussed for another feeding. Jody and Mary volunteered for that round so Dean and Cas could get in a nap. They cuddled together without huge bellies making it difficult. “How come our kids are so…”

 

“Human?” Cas finished his sentence. “Because of you. They are part of both of us. They choose to be a blend of us. They’ll trust their powers to their human instincts. Because I’m so different, they know love and compassion from me as well.”

 

“I just want things to stay exactly like they are now. It’s perfect. Our family is whole and together.” Dean gave Cas a tender kiss.

 

“Tonight we are safe, love. Tomorrow, we decide how to keep it safe for the rest of the world.” Cas closed his eyes and rested to recharge his grace.


	6. Family Talks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lots of tender moments

“You sure about this, Red?” Gabriel sat in the center of her runes on the ground. They were far enough from the cabin to allow for any repercussions from the unbinding spell.

 

“Gabriel, I’ve healed your body. Time has healed your grace. But you are an adorable little pup in your current state compared to the mighty beast we’ll unleash. After you’ve made the incantation, you will take your blade and break this rune here,” Rowena tapped his chest with her manicured nails. 

 

She laid the page from the Black Grimoire in front of him and cast a shield to protect herself from any grace that escaped. Gabriel started the spell. The wind picked up in the surrounding trees. The ground beneath him trembled. He could hear waves crashing in the lake. The fire from the candles turned black. All the elements were working to free Gabriel from his binds.

 

He raised his archangel blade to his chest and slashed it across the scar. Time stood still around him. Complete silence until the rustle of feathers from his six pairs of golden wings unfurling. They stretched out to their full and glorious spans. The sight dropped Rowena to her knees. For all the horror of Lucifer’s true face, this glimpse of Gabriel’s was the most beautiful thing she’d ever witnessed.

 

Gabriel reigned them back into their own snug pocket dimension. He looked down at his bare chest to see that his skin was no longer marred. It was flawless. He summoned his grace to the surface and it was finally his to control again. He was free. 

 

Rowena was stunned from her awe when Gabriel draped himself over her to thank her for giving him his life back. She patted awkwardly. He helped her to her feet and instead of walking to the cabin, he flew.

 

“Guess who’s got their groove back, kiddos?” Gabriel announced. Dean’s glare made the archangel recoil.

 

“You wake ‘em up, you’re on diaper duty, jackass,” Dean hissed his threat. 

 

“Easy, Papa Bear. Sorry. Here,” Gabe snapped his fingers. “Back to your pre-baby hot bod. I’ll babysit later if you and Cassie wanna fly off for a little backseat boogie.”

 

“Um...thanks? But I think I got bigger stuff to tackle than boning my husband. Not that I don’t  _ want _ to…”

 

Gabe slapped his shoulder. “Ever the Righteous Man, Dean-o. Alright, we’re gonna need a room to strategize.” He snapped his fingers again and created a second cabin, fully equipped with whiteboards, laptops, and a huge table.

 

Dean spun around in his new surroundings. “You made Sam a Nerd Cave.”

 

“Should I throw in a keg to make it more habitable for you?”

 

“Eat me, Gabe.” Dean left the war room. He found Claire sitting on the porch of Jody’s cabin, cleaning a gun. He plopped down beside her. “How’s it going?”

 

“It’s going. You?” She stayed on task.

 

“Hell of a lot of stuff going on, Claire. About to take on Lucifer and...I don’t wanna. Got too much to lose now. I mean...I got everything. There’s a man in there who loves me as much as I love him. I’ve got  _ four _ amazing kids. My life went from just me and Sam against the world to everybody I love crammed into a cabin in the woods.”

 

“Mine too. It was just me and then you guys sent me to Jody. I have a mom again. I have dads. I have all kinds of siblings. But I still want to fight. I  _ need _ to fight. As long as Lucifer is out there we’ll never be safe. We’ll never have this again if we don’t take him out.”

 

Dean groaned. He knew she was right. The past three days were akin to a Djinn dream. The babies only fussed when they needed something and everyone scrambled to spoil them. New life was what they needed to give them hope. Things weren’t as bleak when there was so much innocence around.

 

Gabriel tutored Jack in getting in touch with his grace. He had an ease about him and Jack learned so much in such a short time. He was better at flying, too. Rowena made protection bags for all of them and enchanted weapons. They couldn’t cross into the playground but they could summon Lucifer. 

 

“I get it. And I should want this over more than anybody. I don’t want you and Jack to get hurt. It’s stupid. Jack is more powerful than Lucifer. You’re the baddest bitch on earth. World hopping, ass kicking, surviving a were bite...I am so fucking proud of you.” Dean put his arm around her. “Don’t ever doubt how I feel about you. Doesn’t matter that we don’t share the same blood. You’re my daughter, Claire. Everything I’d ever hope one of my kids grew up to be.”

 

“I’m gonna fucking cry, Dean. But yeah. You’re kinda the dad I always wanted. The one who doesn’t see me as a little girl but is still there when I need you.” 

 

“See? We had a moment and we didn’t explode.” Dean smiled at her. “And don’t teach your little brother and sister to say ‘fuck’. Cas’ll blame  _ me _ for it.”

 

Claire rolled her eyes. “I think somebody who just popped out a kid  _ needs _ a couple nights on the couch.”

 

“What about you? Think someday you might want one? Like when  _ you’re  _ forty?”

 

Claire shrugged. “I really don’t see that for me. And...I kinda don’t sleep with guys. Maybe I’ll take in a couple kids someday like Jody.”

 

Dean hugged her tight against him and kissed her on top of the head. “Hey. Still love you.”

 

“I know. It’s not like a big deal or anything. Just...wanted some time to figure stuff out. I met someone and there was a spark. The first spark  _ ever _ . So maybe that’s my deal. I dunno.”

 

“Doesn’t matter to me. Or anybody else who cares about you. For what it’s worth...Cas is only the second spark I ever got. I mean...I got around. But he’s, you know, the one. So maybe your first spark let your heart know what it’s gonna feel like when or if you find the one.”

 

Another eye roll. “You almost sounded smart there, old man.” She leaned her head on Dean’s shoulder. “But your  _ my _ old man.”

 

“And you almost sounded sweet. Claire-bear.” Dean started giggling.

 

Claire pushed him away. “Call me that again and I’ll kick your  _ old _ ass.” She frowned but Dean could see the playfulness in her eyes.

 

Cas stepped out on the porch. “Babies are awake. If you want access to either of them you should hurry. I believe Donna has threatened to steal one.” He extended a hand to help Dean up. They exchanged a chaste kiss over Claire before Dean headed in to snag some baby time. Even Sam had caught baby fever. They looked ridiculously tiny in his arms.

 

“I’m happy to see you and Dean getting on better. The two of you could be infuriating.” Cas took Dean’s vacated space next to Claire. He stared off in the distance, waiting for her to initiate more conversation. He sensed there was still some distance between them, even though they’d spent more time together recently.

 

“He’s actually good at the dad thing. Got all sappy with me.”

 

“Oh?” 

 

Claire continued. “He said he was proud of me. And he gave me some advice.”

 

“We’re _both_ very proud of you, Claire. You’re a fighter. A protector, like Dean and myself. You should have seen Dean’s face when I asked him if he’d ever had an affair with your mother. You are so much like him. And I admire that in you. I believe you are a righteous woman.” Castiel reached for her hand and took it in both of his. “We will win this. I don’t need a vision from Miss Turner to know that. I may have lost my faith in my Father a long time ago but I found it again with the Winchesters. With my _family._ _Our_ family.”

 

“I know. I’m ready.” Claire reassembled her weapons. “Who’s going to take care of the babies?”

 

“You are quite the tactician, Claire. Whom do you propose?”

 

“I propose...you. You have your wings back. You can fly them to safety. And Dean will be more focused knowing you guys are safe. They need at least one of their parents if things go south. He’s not afraid of Lucifer but Sam is. Sam needs his brother beside him to face down his worst nightmare.”

 

“I see. That is well thought out. I will ask Miss Turner to stay behind as well. She can foresee if we must make our escape. You have done well, training her. However, she is not ready to enter a battle of this magnitude. In my opinion, at least.”

 

Claire agreed. Patience had gained more confidence with weaponry but Lucifer would be able to manipulate her. She wasn’t a seasoned hunter. She was almost overwhelmed by just knowing she was in the presence of the supernatural. And Claire wasn’t about to lose another wayward sister.

 

“Let’s go pitch this to the troops,” she said.


	7. Growth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More sexy times for Destiel, something new for Dean, and Sam considers his future

Castiel pulled Dean away to the bedroom after he and Claire laid out the battle plan. “One of us needs to be with the children. I know you want it to be you, but you don’t have the ability to fly them out of reach.”

 

Dean took off his shirt and turned his back to his husband. “Then what the hell is going on with me?” There were raised red welts on either side of his spine. He shivered when Cas ran his hands over them.

 

“I would say this shouldn’t be possible...but nothing that’s happened to us has been entirely in the realm of possible. Your grace has grown stronger since you delivered Stevie. It’s woven into your being. The spell to grant wings must be affecting you.”

 

“Does that mean I’m gonna go into angel heat like you did? Because honestly, I don’t think I can take being knocked up again.”

 

Cas pressed himself against Dean’s back and wrapped his arms around Dean’s waist. He kissed along the back of Dean’s shoulder. “I still wish to make love to my beloved husband. I’ve missed this. Sex was...complicated during pregnancy. I want to feel as much of your skin against mine as possible.”

 

Dean turned into his embrace and sought his lips for a passionate kiss. He wanted Castiel’s body hot against his as well. He wanted to make love again like they had after they bonded. He pulled Cas’ shirt over his head and squeezed him even closer. The kisses got sloppier and hands roamed. Cas moaned and reached for Dean’s belt.

 

It wasn’t as feverish as their first time but they still tugged and pulled in a hurry to shed clothes. Dean landed on the bed with Cas crashing onto him. “I love you, angel. So much. I need you.”

 

“I need you, too.” Cas placed open kisses all over Dean’s chest and neck. He reached under the pillow for the bottle of lube Gabriel casually mentioned conjuring for them. Neither of them needed prep with their grace but it still eased the way without bringing his wings into play for his glands. He slicked himself up and smeared some against Dean’s hole. He eased his way into the tight heat, fighting the instinct to chase after an orgasm. He wanted them both to build up to mutual bliss.

 

Dean moved with him, rocking his hips to meet the slow thrusts. Cas slipped a hand down his hip to shift it enough for him to get a better angle. Dean quickly kissed him again to muffle some of the moaning from his pleasure. Sex was good before he changed but it was phenomenal as part angel. Nerves he didn’t know he had were tingling with stimulation. It was a whole body experience. His grace thrummed under his skin, a cool contrast to the heat of the man on top of him.

 

“So beautiful, Dean.” Cas held him close. He nuzzled into his neck, nipping lightly at the scar from their mating. Dean’s back arched, driving him down on Cas. “Oh, Dean. You make it so hard to hold back.”

 

“Then don’t. Make me come, Cas. Then I’ll make you come. God, baby you feel so good.” Dean kissed along Cas’ jaw. He dropped both hands to cup Cas’ ass to pull him in deeper. He was so close. “Just like that.”

 

“Dean...I’m going to…”

 

“I know, baby. Me too.” Dean felt Cas twitch inside him and it was enough to make him let go. He came untouched between them as Cas pulsed and throbbed against his inner walls. He felt the full weight of Cas on him as they let the afterglow take them. 

 

“I wish we could make love for hours and hours. Explore the teachings of tantric sex,” Cas mused as he slipped off of Dean. He kept a hand on Dean’s chest which was quickly taken. “If your wings mature...I’d like to try something.”

 

Dean chuckled. “A literal flying fuck? Interesting kink you got there. But...I’m game. Always wondered how I could join the mile high club without getting in a flying metal tube of death.”

 

“I was thinking more romantic than kinky. We should consult Gabriel about your wings. You would be even more formidable in battle with them.”

 

“Or...I could stay with Stevie and Harrison. You deserve to be on the takedown team of Lucifer. Of all the people he’s hurt...you and Sam and Gabe should be the ones to finally strike him down. Yeah, I wanna ice him for what he did to the people I love. But you know him. He can’t get in your head anymore. You can get inside  _ his _ head. And Jack is gonna break whatever heart he might have left. He’s  _ our _ kid through and through.”

 

Cas pulled Dean onto his chest. He ran his fingers over the ridges on Dean’s back. He knew his husband was right. It was all contingent on Dean’s wings and his ability to learn to fly. It would have to be soon and under a harsh deadline. He held Dean a bit longer, wanting their intimacy to overcome the fears he had for the next few days.

 

***

 

Gabriel inspected Dean’s back. Only hours after he’d revealed himself to Cas, his back itched from the feathers sprouting. No one could see his affliction but the other angels. Gabriel sent a little of his own grace through Dean to help speed up the process. Dean growled with pain as new bone and sinew knit and grew from his existing flesh. He collapsed to his knees on the ground in the clearing.

 

The weight of his wings was unbearable. Tears streaked down his face as he continued to cry out. The others rushed from the cabins to see what the commotion was. Gabriel put up a hand to hold them back. “It’s gonna be fine. Those of you untouched by grace can’t see it, but Dean-o is sprouting some wings.” He looked down to the light brown and speckled feathers cocooning around his brother-in-law. 

 

“Wings? Cas, did you know this could happen?” Sam turned.

 

Cas shook his head. “It is unexpected. But his grace is not some alien force like it was when you were possessed by Gadreel. It has become his own and with it the call of Heaven passed to him. He’ll start hearing Angel Radio soon. He...he may no longer be human. Possibly a hybrid like myself.”

 

“Are you...nephilim? Like Jack?” Mary asked.

 

“We aren’t born of a human-angel union. So not in any traditional sense. Dean has a soul infused with grace. I have grace infused with a soul. Jack was born with both. They are both inherent to him,” Cas explained. He hated seeing his mate in so much pain but he’d felt the same after going so long with just the broken remnants of his own plumage. 

 

The new wings rustled to part a little. Dean looked up with red swollen eyes at his family. They looked different to him. They were surrounded by colors and flickers. He clearly saw Jack’s wings for the first time and they were even more beautiful than Cas’. They shimmered a brilliant white. Pure. Even his children had tiny wings nestled against their backs when he saw them in Jody and Donna’s arms.

 

He could hear racing heartbeats. He heard every ripple of water in the lake. It was like being a vampire again without the thirst. Everything was brighter and clearer. Then the voices came. They felt like a hot poker jammed in his skull. It started as layers of jibberish before the Enochian made sense. He could hear himself being called an abomination. He could hear the fears raised about his children. Some of them wanted the new archangels to come and lead instead of Lucifer. They had faith in his children.

 

As much as it ached to use the new muscles, Dean willed them to spread his wings to their full span. He pushed himself back up to his feet. With a gritted jaw, he pushed the voices out of his head. He focused solely on the look of wonderment on his husband’s face. He wanted more than anything to be holding him and in the brief second the thought crossed his mind, he was standing almost nose to nose with his mate.

 

“Dean...you flew,” Cas said in awe. His own wings came up to rub against Dean’s. He never imagined sharing something like this with anyone.

 

“That’s what it’s like? Picture myself somewhere and I just...go?” 

 

“I thought you would need more time and training. Angel Radio will be overwhelming at first…”

 

Dean kissed him to cut him off. “Already heard the latest gossip. Sucks but if I can tamp down forty years of my Dad in my head, I can tone down the in-laws.” He grinned. He liked the feel of Cas’ wings on his. He mentally planned out some very vigorous angel sex for later. He heard Gabriel burst into laughter and saw his stepson’s face turn crimson.

 

“Good to know my brother didn’t marry a prude!” Gabe came up to slap him on the back. “Might wanna learn to compartmentalize unless you want all of Heaven hearing the dirty details.”

 

_ Fuck. Angel radio. Yeah, bitches. I’m banging the hot angel.  _ Dean broadcast.  _ Get used to hearing Cas’ name screamed a lot unless you tune me out. _ Radio silence. That was more like it. He was an angel. He’d live to see forever with Cas and his children. But he’d also live to see everyone else he loved die. Cas sensed his mood change so he took his hand to walk them down to the lake.

 

“The pain in your heart, Dean, I’ve felt ever since I met you. I loved you anyway, knowing I’d live to lose you.” Cas told him in a somber voice. “I don’t want to watch Claire grow old and die when our other children will have immortality. I don’t want to watch Sam die. He is my brother. Your mother, our friends...I accepted that I would someday have to let them all go. And you. The only love I have ever known. Do not grieve prematurely, Dean.”

 

“It just hit me, you know? I never expected to make it to forty. I always thought Sammy would be okay to go on without me. And then Mom came back and I thought they’d have each other. They’d have you watching over them. I didn’t think I mattered until you told me you loved me. Then I’m a husband and a father.”

 

Castiel wrapped his own massive wings around Dean. “You always mattered, beloved. Always.”

 

Dean leaned into Cas and let their wings fluff against each other. It felt right and natural.

 

***

 

“How do feel about bondage, Sammich?” Gabriel waggled his eyebrows. He elbowed Sam.

 

Sam rolled his eyes. “My brother’s an  _ angel. _ ”

 

“What a coincidence! So is mine! We have  _ so _ much in common.” 

 

“Are you flirting or actually getting at something?” Sam crossed his arms and stared down at the archangel. He’d been shrugging off innuendos for weeks.

 

“Well...if you wanted to join the ranks with the rest of us flyboys...arrangements could be made.”

 

“Damnit, Gabe. Are you going to start humping my leg next? If I was interested in having sex with you, don’t you think  _ I _ would be the one throwing out hints?”

 

Gabe put his hands up defensively. “Whoa, big guy. Big fan of consent. Okay? I’m offering a bond. A level up. Those two crazy kids always wanted to move some furniture around. The sex was just a bonus.”

 

“Gabriel, if I bonded to you, I’d be giving up a chance to find somebody. Have my own kids. Angel married is still married and I’m not an unfaithful guy. I don’t need wings because my big brother got a pair.”

 

“Okay. Offer’s on the table. Just thought you’d make a better angel than most of Dad’s other creations. You’re a good man, Sam. I’d rather bump wings with you any day.” Gabriel shrugged. He left Sam behind so he could have a few moments to think. He wouldn’t mind bonding with Sam. They may snipe at each other but Sam had gone out of his way to get Gabriel back on his feet. Sam trusted him in a fight. He was family...possibly a real friend. Almost as shocking as his friendship with Rowena. 

 

Actually, it was Rowena who went to Sam next. They had their own bond over trauma. She claimed she stuck with the Winchesters for her own safety but she had softened around them. She played with the babies, sipped tea with the ladies, and spoke at length of olden days with Gabriel.

 

Rowena linked her arm through Sam’s and walked a short distance from the cabins. “Your brother’s wings are quite stunning, Samuel. They suit him. Far cry from the black eyes.”

 

“He was always headed for that. Even when he had the Mark, went demon...I had faith that he would come back. He’d overcome it.”

 

“And you believe you are headed elsewhere? You were part of a grand design to ascend the throne of Hell. And you still may. It would create a balance. Two brothers, equally just. Able to rule to keep peace in between,” she suggested.

 

Sam considered it. If he’d taken on the Mark like he and Chuck had discussed, it was a possibility. He’d be less of a danger to humans in Hell and his wrath would be felt by demons and evil souls. He’d broker peace among the ranks for his surviving family. “I want it all to stop. We’ve been scraping by for years. One Big Bad after another. Losing family, losing ourselves. Even if we win, we lose. Nothing but more chaos. Lucifer took over Heaven because they were desperate for leadership. Same thing with Asmodeus.

 

“I couldn’t stay human,” Sam uttered, mostly to himself.

 

“But you have potential to be a great witch. You were born with gifts, abilities. They would have lain dormant without the blood. You didn’t lose them, dear. I can teach you how to use them again. I may be a master of the dark arts but I haven’t forgotten the old ways. You’d be bound to no one. A child of nature. Something to consider, Samuel. My offer stands just as Gabriel’s.” Rowena patted his back and left him to think. Perhaps he’d keep her on as an advisor and confidante if he took the throne.

 

Sam leaned back against a tree. He knew what path his brother would want him to take...but would it be the right one?


	8. Past and Present

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final showdown with Lucifer

“I love you, Dean.” Cas kissed his husband then his two infant children.

 

“Love you too, Cas. Just...come home,” Dean said his tearful goodbye. He was loaded up with diaper bags and babies, ready to fly to a safe place. It was somewhere Lucifer wouldn't know from his time in Cas and Sam’s heads. Only he knew about the old bomb shelter he’d hid out from John Winchester in for two weeks. 

 

It was right after Sam left for college. John was already raging. He finished off whatever booze was left in their squatter house and instead of passing out...he took it out on Dean. He’d been smacked around a few times by his father but this time he actually feared for his life.

 

He played opossum on the floor so John would give up, thinking Dean was unconscious. After he heard the door slam he crawled to his duffle bag and called Bobby. Beaten and bloody, he made his way across two fields with some meager rations and a first aid kit. He meant to spend the night in a barn but found a metal door under some hay. The steps led down to an old shelter where he made his home until he was too hungry to stay.

 

Bobby found John. Gave him a pretty sound beating of his own, and told him if Dean ever came back he better treat him like the sun shines out of his ass or they’d never find John’s body. That’s when the rift between them happened. And when Dean showed up on Bobby’s doorstep after hitching a couple rides, he and John never talked about that night. Dean took more solo hunts and never felt John’s hands on him like that again.

 

The farmhouse was abandoned now, some twenty years later. The barn was still standing, much worse for wear. He kicked away the remnants of dried and decayed hay and pulled up the rusty hatch. Looked like some kids had used it with burnt down candles, old food wrappers and cans, and a moldy mattress. Dean used some grace to sanitize it before placing a couple blankets on the mattress.

 

The whole ordeal shouldn’t take more than a couple hours. He took out their bottles, heating them in his hands, and adjusted his babies in their sling to feed them. Dean hoped they’d sleep through it all and never pick up the anxiety coursing through their father.

 

***

 

Sam and Mary made the traps on the ground as Rowena began summoning Lucifer. Like before, they had precious few moments before he quelled the holy fire and burned out the power of the sigils. Lucifer appeared and seemed quite amused at the crew aiming to take him down.

 

“Well, what have we here? Didn’t I kill a couple of you?” He smirked.

 

“Now, Jackie boy!” Gabriel called out. Jack’s eyes glowed as he pushed his power into Lucifer. It wasn’t burning him up like the other angels but it was buying more time. 

 

Sam went at him first, driving in the tip of Michael’s broken lance. It wounded him but didn’t poison him like it had Cas.

 

“Oh come on! You may as well poke me with a stick,” Lucifer antagonized him. “But you always were the one on the receiving end of the rod.”

 

Jody had to physically hold Mary back. She knew Lucifer had tortured her son. She didn’t know to what depraved descent. “I should have ripped your fucking heart out!” She screamed.

 

“Mom, it’s what he does. He gets into your head. Throws you off your game. Look at me. I survived. He didn’t break me,” Sam tried to reel her in. His secret was exposed but it could be dealt with later. If he could focus then the rest of them could too. No time for pity.

 

Castiel flared his wings. “If I didn’t need your delicate temperament to escape Asmodeus I should have killed you sooner. You ran me through. You sent my essence to the Empty. I nearly lost my husband to his grief over me.”

 

Lucifer howled with laughter despite his wound and binds. “You finally put a ring on it! Good for you, Castiel. Tell me...did the earth quake? Winchesters are real wildcats in the sack. Whew! Too bad Mary shot me down. Bet I could have learned a thing or two from her.”

 

Gabriel twirled his archangel blade. “I bet  _ I _ could have taught you a thing or two. Like how to fool cocky archangels into thinking they killed you. You are just so damned full of yourself. You always assume you’re the smartest person in the room, dumbass. While you were diddling yourself in the Cage, some of us were out in the world acquiring knowledge.”

 

“Like gorging yourself on candy and pagans? You’re just a magician,  _ Trickster _ . You’re a middle child like me. Always acting out for Daddy’s attention. Except you went for the cheap laughs. I was busy proving I was more of a leader than Michael. Oh...Mikey. The firstborn. The beloved first son of Heaven. But not Dad’s favorite.” Lucifer spun back to Castiel. “He saved that title for you. A lowly seraph. Born to buck the system. Called dibs on the Righteous Man so he could never really say yes to Michael. He couldn’t give in to my Mark. You ruined everything, Castiel. You could fuck up a train wreck.”

 

Claire charged through the ring of fire with her Grigori sword. It ran through his torso, spilling the light of his grace. It wasn’t a fatal blow but it weakened him further. The trap was still holding. She easily escaped the circle and his reach. Cas pulled his daughter to him, relieved she survived. “Claire…”

 

“He’s an asshole. You didn’t deserve that from him. Just do it, Gabriel. Finish that fucker!” Claire clung to her surrogate father’s trenchcoat. 

 

“With pleasure, my darling niece. Nephew?” He called to Jack. Jack pulled back his power holding Lucifer to part the flames. “I loved you. Dad help me, I did. But you just couldn’t let the power go.” He struck with no hesitation, even if it broke his heart to kill the brother he once looked up to. The blast burned his skin and singed his golden wings, but he stood over the black, ashened, imprints of Lucifer’s wings. He didn’t bother hiding the tears that came with his actions.

 

Sam knelt down beside him after the flames were completely doused. He pulled Gabriel into a tight embrace to let him get it all out. He’d been there, mourning and in shock over his own brother’s death. “I’ve got you, Gabe. I know it hurts.”

 

“He was a monster but he was my brother.”

 

“I know. You did the right thing. You saved my family.  _ Our _ family. You’re a part of this now. Even if you decide to go back and get things in order. You have a home here with us. I promise.” Sam stroked Gabriel’s face and hair. The rest of the crowd dispersed back into the cabin except for Jack.

 

“I’m sorry, Uncle Gabriel. I should feel something...but it’s relief. Your pain...I sense it but I don’t feel my own,” the young man said.

 

Gabriel sniffled. “You don’t have to feel anything for him, Jackie. He wasn’t your father. He was just a sperm donor. You got the dads you were supposed to have. My grief...it’s for someone I lost a long time ago, not the man I killed. But thank you for saying that, kid. You have a lot of heart.” He allowed Sam to help him up to hug his nephew. With a snap of his finger he erased the scene of his crime.

 

***

 

_ Dean? It’s over. I can’t come to you but it’s safe to come home now. _

 

He heard Cas call to him. If he hadn’t turned off Angel Radio he would have heard the mixed cries of relief and defeat from Heaven when Lucifer fell. Instead he cleared his head for one angel’s voice. Their deep bond was even more profound than anyone could have expected.

 

Dean shouldn’t be able to do the things he can. He knows that. He’s had Cas’ grace inside him so long that it was already infused with his soul. It was his own. Mating ignited a spark. All the celestial information coded into angels was imbedded in his soul. His body knew what to do, like flying himself and his children straight to his husband’s arms.

 

“Cas! Oh god, baby, you’re okay,” he kissed him and passed off one of the babies. “Sam? Mom?”

 

“Everybody’s fine, love. Gabriel is...he’s distraught. But Claire was so brave. She used her sword on him.”

 

“And Sam?” His brother couldn’t have handled seeing Lucifer again very well. It had to be bad when Cas pulled him to a quiet corner to answer.

 

“Lucifer divulged something...we all know something very personal about Sam now. He may not wish to speak of it at length.”

 

“Spit it out, Cas. What do I need to know?”

 

“Sam was  _ assaulted _ by Lucifer in the Cage,” Cas carefully emphasized the word to convey its true meaning.

 

Blue grace flashed behind Dean’s eyes. His wings bristled and little Harrison started to cry. It snapped him out of his impulse to smite something. “Shh...it’s okay. Daddy’s okay. I’m sorry Harrison.” Dean gently bounced him to calm him down. 

 

“I’ll take him. Dean. You should go to him.” Cas held out his other arm for their son. He brought them over to Mary and Patience to fuss over.

 

***

 

Dean didn’t say a word. He walked up to Sam and threw his arms and wings around him. He hoped on some level Sam could feel them. Sam had no more tears left for his past. The nightmares may still haunt him but there was no longer a real threat behind them. 

 

“You tried to tell me,” Dean said after a few beats.

 

“I’m okay, Dean. It’s over. When I’m ready to talk again...just listen. That’s all I need.”

 

“You got it, Sammy. Anything,” Dean promised. He clapped Sam’s back a little harder than usual before letting him go. He saw Gabriel approaching and figured he should spread some love to his brother-in-law. “How you holding up?”

 

“Just needed a couple minutes to get over my existential crisis. But hey...all my in-laws are safe. Gonna be one awkward family reunion upstairs, though.” Gabriel tried to play it off with humor. “Can I get a minute with Sammoose? I need to clear up something I said earlier.”

 

Dean backed away. “Yeah, sure. Whatever you guys need.”

 

“Gabe…” Sam started.

 

“No. I gotta say this. I am  _ so _ sorry for coming on strong like that. The flirting and everything…”

 

Sam shook his head. “That’s just your personality, man. You’ve been flirting with Jody, Donna, my  _ Mom _ ...it’s fine. Annoying sometimes, yeah. But that’s because it’s so cheesy. How did you ever get laid with those lame lines?”

 

Gabriel loosened up and smiled. “Used to walk around naked. Free advertising. Had to start wearing pants when the horses got jealous.” He finished off with his signature eyebrow move. Sam cracked and couldn’t help the startling laughter.

 

“Shit, Gabe. You’re gonna wind up being my  bestie.”

 

“You mean we’re not? Sammich, you wound me,” Gabriel recoiled dramatically. He snapped his fingers. “How ‘bought endless margaritas and a cheese fountain for nachos to lighten the mood around here?”

 

_ “Holy shit! It’s a cheese fountain!” _

 

_ “Dean…” _


	9. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life after Lucifer

Stevie and Harrison were in their gated ‘zone’ of the library. They could sit up and babble nonsense to one another. Well, nonsense to someone who couldn’t understand them. Sam and Mary were out of the loop but Uncle Gabby seemed happy to translate. He much preferred the role of ‘manny’ to his niece and nephew than ruler of Heaven.

 

Hunting was designated like a household chore wheel. The Winchesters would pair off for the monster of the week. Dean still drove his Baby but he enjoyed the hell out of smiting. Sometimes all it took was the sight of him for demons to smoke out. He’d been deadly before his power up. Now he was unstoppable.

 

Sam took Rowena up on her offer to learn witchcraft. Dean wasn’t thrilled about it, fearing it would tap into Sam’s dark side again. But it was actually helping him. The light and energy he took in from nature seemed to heal some of his emotional scars. Rowena didn’t stay on with the Winchesters after Lucifer was killed but she answered when they called. She met with Sam and Gabriel often for just tea and chats. She also brought little baubles for the babies to play with.

 

Patience went the same route as Alex, opting for community college and assisting on hunts. She was pursuing forensics and crime scene cleanup certification. She’d have access to supernatural evidence that regular law enforcement would disregard. Claire reluctantly agreed to get her certification as well so they could partner up for their own small business. Of course Jody promised to throw work their way.

 

Jody and Donna decided that Mary needed real friends instead of just hunting partners. They would get together for ladies’ weekends whether it be at spas or shooting ranges. They could drink the roughest looking guys at a bar under the table sometimes. Most of their Instagram pics were tagged as Wayward AF, especially the time they took on a mechanical bull.

 

Gabriel and Castiel negotiated a high council being formed upstairs. Issues were dealt with in a town hall fashion, going before the committee. They would only intervene if there was a deadlock. Things could get heated at times but the angels were finally convinced that they couldn’t afford the losses of civil war and that Chuck wasn’t coming back.

 

Hell was another issue entirely. Everybody wanted to rule. No two demons seemed to agree on anything. Asmodeus attempted to go into hiding. Jack sent him to the Bad Place instead. Sam had to become a de facto leader. With his legal expertise, he made boilerplate contracts for souls. Crowley’s style worked efficiently enough. Demons were more afraid of the Winchesters than ever so they towed the line to avoid Purgatory. 

 

Jack was...Jack. He learned how to use his powers from Gabriel. He learned to hunt from his family. He was made aware of all the politics involved in ruling and decided it was too much responsibility for him. He had no desire to conquer like Lucifer did. Most of the time he was encouraged to just be a kid while he could. Dean taught him to drive, not his Baby of course, and they let him go out to see movies or grab pizza with some other local teens on occasion.

 

The threat of Michael invading was always on the back burner. They didn’t know if dreamwalkers existed in the Apocalypse universe or if he knew how to use one if he found one. They’d be ready for him. They already took down one archangel. They were raising two more. If they reached maturity before Michael found a way to them he would easily be outnumbered.

 

Castiel and Dean watched their children play together as they partially paid attention to the research they were supposed to be doing. Dean reached his hand across the table for his husband’s. If someone had told him this was what the future held for him when he dug himself out of his grave, he might’ve shot them in the face. It wasn’t really all that long ago that he didn’t believe angels existed. Now he was one. Part of him hoped Sam would bond with Gabriel so he’d never have to say goodbye to him. And part of him still wished for Sam to find the right person to settle down with and start a family of his own.

 

But they were happy. And if all they got was another twenty or so years together they would make the most of it, no longer clinging to each other because they were all each other had. Sam had a dear and trusted friend in Gabriel. He doted on Stevie, Harrison, Jack and Claire. He went on a ski trip with Donna.

Chuck couldn’t have written it better himself. Or did he?


End file.
